Apex Magazine is a monthly science fiction, fantasy, and horror magazine featuring original, mind-bending short fiction from many of the top pros of the field. New issues are released the first Tuesday of every month.

This month we celebrate Indigenous American fantasists with guest editor Amy H. Sturgis.

Accolades have been pouring down on this 2017 SF short story, which won both the Hugo and Nebula awards, and is also a Sturgeon Award nominee, a Locus Recommended Short Story, a Apex Magazine Reader’s Choice WiNote: This review is just for the award-winning story “Welcome to Your Authentic Indian Experience.” The ever-vigilant GR librarians merged its review space into this anthology.

Accolades have been pouring down on this 2017 SF short story, which won both the Hugo and Nebula awards, and is also a Sturgeon Award nominee, a Locus Recommended Short Story, a Apex Magazine Reader’s Choice Winner. Additionally, Rebecca Roanhorse won the Hugo’s John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer.

On my first read of “Welcome to Your Authentic Indian Experience”, several months ago, I thought it was a solid story but riding somewhat on the coattails of the popularity and currency of the cultural appropriation theme. However, its win of the Hugo Award prompted me to give it a reread, and the story actually hit me a lot harder the second time around.

Jesse is a Native American, working a virtual reality type of job that pushes him to sell his culture in dishonest ways that cheapen it. He acts mostly as the native guide for tourists’ “Vision Quest” virtual reality journeys. (At least it’s better than the demeaning “Squaw Fantasy” that the women employees are forced to engage in.) But a small hope comes into Jesse’s life when he meets a virtual tourist ― Jesse gives him the spirit name “White Wolf” ― who is truly interested in Jesse and his actual experiences. A little too interested, perhaps …

The theme of cultural appropriation is at the forefront here, impossible to miss, but the layers and subtleties in the story ― including the dual meaning of the story’s title and the symbolism of White Wolf’s name ― impressed me. The ending is a knife twist in the gut, and meta in a way that casts new light on the entire story. It meshes well with the unusual second person narration of the story, pulling you into Jesse’s experience. Highly recommended!...more

This is the review forWelcome to Your Authentic Indian Experience TM, a 2018 Nebula/Hugo nominee for Best Short Story!

Total recall meets All about Eve? Who knew!

Jesse works as a guide who goes inside virtual stimulations with tourists to provide them authenticate Indian (Native American, not India's citizens to my dismay) Experience TM, varying from spiritual experience to the real deal. Things are a bit rocky at home and at work, but he is the best guy at what he does.

But then he meets WhiteThis is the review forWelcome to Your Authentic Indian Experience TM, a 2018 Nebula/Hugo nominee for Best Short Story!

Total recall meets All about Eve? Who knew!

Jesse works as a guide who goes inside virtual stimulations with tourists to provide them authenticate Indian (Native American, not India's citizens to my dismay) Experience TM, varying from spiritual experience to the real deal. Things are a bit rocky at home and at work, but he is the best guy at what he does.

But then he meets White Wolf.

I'm a big fan of virtual simulation type stories, but this one doesn't go deep into that(view spoiler)[ Or does it?! (hide spoiler)]. One of the best things about the story is its ever-changing moods: Initially, you see a regular man and his colleagues, which give way to Sci-Fi, then to loneliness and friendship, and finally full on

Yeah yeah yeah, I know, this is an allegedly gripping, brutal tale reportedly full of super deep thoughts about identity and reality and all that crap stuff, but it’s nothing that hasn’t been done two hundred million times before, Supposedly Super Clever Final Twist (SSCFT™) included.

Granted, the Native American setting and underlying cultural appropriation theme were interesting and fresh and stuff, but it doesn’t change the fact that impressed by this story, I was not. Because I read it wrongright, obviously. Or is it because I read it right wrong? I forget.

This was a surprising stand-out for me. I was at first disgusted by the tourism bit, but as things progressed, I realized it was building up into something quite nasty. When the twist came, I was kicked in the gut.

Delicious.

The best part is the fact that PoV IS giving us an Authentic Indian Experience while never quite seeing it for himself.

Still trying to wrap my mind around it. Definitely reading it again soon. Shades of Westworld and Jurassic Park. The ending knocked me for a total loop. If you have a few minutes, definitely check this one out.

I'm generally not a cover-to-cover reader of Apex Magazine, instead reading whatever sounds good when their content shows up online for free, but I recently subscribed to it,. It turned out to be the perfect time to do so. #99 was the first issue I got, and it's one that's definitely worth reading cover-to-cover. Guest-edited by Amy H. Sturgis, it's got non-fiction by Daniel Heath Justice and Daniel José Older and four wonderful short stories by indigenous women. The highlights, however, are "WeI'm generally not a cover-to-cover reader of Apex Magazine, instead reading whatever sounds good when their content shows up online for free, but I recently subscribed to it,. It turned out to be the perfect time to do so. #99 was the first issue I got, and it's one that's definitely worth reading cover-to-cover. Guest-edited by Amy H. Sturgis, it's got non-fiction by Daniel Heath Justice and Daniel José Older and four wonderful short stories by indigenous women. The highlights, however, are "Welcome to Your Authentic Indian Experience" by Rebecca Roanhorse, an absolutely gutting near-ish future sci-fi story about Native identity and the harm caused by cultural appropriation, and "Skinny Charlie's Orbiting Teepee" by Pamela Rentz, which tackles some similar themes with a lighter, more humorous touch in a very different sci-fi setting....more

Indian here in the story is more in the context of Red Indians/American Indians/Native American Indians, and definitely not the kind I presumed it to be, related to India. That part bothered me until midway, since I kept looking for the Indian (the kind I know about!) elements to pop, which is when I had to make peace with what it actually was about.

That aside, it is an interesting story, a nice walk-in and out about a virtual reality Indian Experience, a person trying so hard to be that IndianIndian here in the story is more in the context of Red Indians/American Indians/Native American Indians, and definitely not the kind I presumed it to be, related to India. That part bothered me until midway, since I kept looking for the Indian (the kind I know about!) elements to pop, which is when I had to make peace with what it actually was about.

That aside, it is an interesting story, a nice walk-in and out about a virtual reality Indian Experience, a person trying so hard to be that Indian, only to provide that authentic experience to his tourists (to boost his sales, to make a living out of it, and be at it so his girlfriend wouldn't leave him - too cliché, I know). The story is about one such tourist experience and how everything goes (view spoiler)[down hill (hide spoiler)] from there. ...more

An Hugo award winner that really merits the award. It’s straight, simple, and yet at the same time very powerful. It’s about a Native American who works for a virtual reality organization whose customers want to have the “Indian” experience. It’s a story with a message and that message stays with you long after the story finishes.

This is one of two 2017 Nebula Short Story finalists that I've read, the other being Carnival Nine by Caroline M. Yoachim. Both are beautifully written stories that I loved for somewhat different reasons.

Welcome to Your Authentic Indian Experience is an example of what a great short story should be. The prose is tight, nothing wasted, just enough words to convey meaning - no more, no less. I've read it twice as text as well as listenin4.5 out of 5.0 - Satisfying, tight, well-written short story.

This is one of two 2017 Nebula Short Story finalists that I've read, the other being Carnival Nine by Caroline M. Yoachim. Both are beautifully written stories that I loved for somewhat different reasons.

Welcome to Your Authentic Indian Experience is an example of what a great short story should be. The prose is tight, nothing wasted, just enough words to convey meaning - no more, no less. I've read it twice as text as well as listening to LeVar Burton reading it on his podcast. Each time I come away with a deeper appreciation of how well this story is put together.

Jesse is a Native American who works at Sedona Sweats providing "authentic" Indian experiences to tourists by way of a of virtual-reality interface that immerses Jesse and the tourist into a hyper realistic alternate reality of the tourist's choosing. Jesse is tops in sales, and no one does a Vision Quest better than Jesse. But one day a tourist arrives that challenges Jesse to the core.

Ms. Roanhorse's story, written in the second person, immerses the reader into Jesse's world. You feel yourself on those ancient prairies drinking in the atmosphere and soon you begin to understand the nature of an authentic Indian experience.

Mixed feelings here--4.5 for a great concept and interesting plot, but I'm very ambivalent about the 2nd person imperative, and that rates a 2, IMO. I feel the voice inserts the writer between the reader and the main character, creating a lot of distance. The writer tells the both the character and the reader what to feel instead of letting the reader make up his or her mind about the events

This short story is short listed for Hugo Awards. For me, the story has a very interesting idea but its realization is so-so. In near future it is possible to experience a virtual reality adventure with 'real' Indians, and the story takes not the point of view of a tripper, but his Indian handler.

Book #53 for 2018Goodreads Summer Reading: One and Done - Read a book that you can finish in one dayMy Personal Reading Challenge: A book by an indigenous person50 States Reading Challenge: Arizona

I had a pretty good idea where this story was going, but the anticipation did nothing to diminish how mind-bendy it was. It's a fairly short read/listen, but Roanhorse packed in a lot of meaning, atmosphere, and snark. Snark directed every which way.

LeVar Burton read this on his podcast and did a greatBook #53 for 2018Goodreads Summer Reading: One and Done - Read a book that you can finish in one dayMy Personal Reading Challenge: A book by an indigenous person50 States Reading Challenge: Arizona

I had a pretty good idea where this story was going, but the anticipation did nothing to diminish how mind-bendy it was. It's a fairly short read/listen, but Roanhorse packed in a lot of meaning, atmosphere, and snark. Snark directed every which way.

LeVar Burton read this on his podcast and did a great job with it. I highly recommend seeking it out. It was also a real treat to hear Roanhorse herself reading part of it to us at Old Firehouse....more

Rebecca Roanhorse is a Nebula and Hugo Award-winning speculative fiction writer and the recipient of the 2018 Campbell Award for Best New Writer. Her short fiction has also been a finalist for the Sturgeon, Locus and World Fantasy awards. Her novel Trail of Lightning was selected as an Amazon, B&N, Library Journal, and NPR Best Books of 2018, among others. The next book in the series, Storm ofRebecca Roanhorse is a Nebula and Hugo Award-winning speculative fiction writer and the recipient of the 2018 Campbell Award for Best New Writer. Her short fiction has also been a finalist for the Sturgeon, Locus and World Fantasy awards. Her novel Trail of Lightning was selected as an Amazon, B&N, Library Journal, and NPR Best Books of 2018, among others. The next book in the series, Storm of Locusts, comes out on April 23, 2019. Her short fiction can be found in Apex Magazine, New Suns, and various other anthologies. Her non-fiction can be found in Uncanny Magazine, Strange Horizons, and How I Resist: Activism and Hope for a New Generation (Macmillan). She lives in Northern New Mexico with her husband, daughter, and pug. Find more at https://rebeccaroanhorse.com/ and on Twitter at @RoanhorseBex."